ENTRY NO: 025 PRIMARY SUBJECT(S): Architallis Zenno/Alexander Stehling LANCE THREAT ASSESSMENT: 2.1/10 LOCATION: Crash site/Transit/Torrin Settlement DATE OF EVENT: 6/17/5987 R.A. DATE RECORDED: 13/13/5993 R.A.
Subject Trouble rescued Subject Architallis Zenno from imminent death during the initial crash sequence. After the crash, the lance quickly found that they had lost Subject Sin. At the realization, Subject Vexxenna Hawkthorn displayed a logic error, choosing to prioritize the Target Device. Subject Architallis Zenno dispensed rectifying orders, reducing the Ill Omen lance’s combat efficiency severely. After Dispensing order’s Subject Architallis Zenno proceeded to harass Subject Vexxenna Hawkthorn while revealing his state of forced tactical impatience. Subject Vexxenna Hawkthorn proceeded to suffer an advanced psychological break, during which she needlessly expended valuable materials. These factors, in conjunction with the partly crippled state of Subject Alexander Stehling’s Tomb Shell, has resultied in a Lance Threat Rating reduction to 1.4
After a displayed mania episode, Subject Vexxenna Hawkthorn was rendered tactically inert just before an ambush from local wildlife. Subject Alexander Stehling was forced to handle the fauna threat with some degree of struggle. Subject Alexander proceeded to collect Subjects Vexxenna and Architallis before proceeding to their destination goal.
Shortly after passing through settlement security, the lance broke up further to complete separate tasks. During this period of separation, Subject Alexander Stehling maintained control over Subject Vexxenna while making maneuvers for a maintenance facility. Upon acquiring maintenance services, Subject Vexxenna made an animilous discovery of the configuration and source materials that make up his body and shell. Upon Subject Vex completing the repairs of Subject Alex’s shell the two are spontaneously ambushed by Opposing Force Fee Fee. The repair of the Tomb Shell raises the Lance Threat Rating to 2.1.
The crash was not an easy one. Architallis found himself free-floating in the air as the aircraft entered free-fall. Trouble unfastened himself from his seat and raised straight to the ceiling, feet first. The Neoform pushed off from the ceiling to tackle Architallis into one of the nearest seats. Archi hadn’t even gotten breath back into his lungs from the tackle when Tro latched the safety harness of the seat shut. Trouble then bounced further down the space to collect Potato by the tail before hurrying back to his seat beside Vex. Archi lost sight of Trouble from where he sat, but could deduce that the Adroit had latched himself into his seat and curled around the anomalous creature.
Architallis hadn’t been strapped into his seat for a full minute when the crash came. The bone-jarring, teeth-snapping impact came suddenly. The sounds of crashing trees and warping metal filled his ears as Architallis was flung around in his seat as if the Storm Raven was in the hands of a titanic toddler shaking the craft. When the vehicle finally came to a grinding halt, Architallis was certain his chest and thighs would be deeply bruised from the harness that likely saved his life.
Architallis detached himself from his seat and peered around the space. Alex lay beneath his Tomb Shell, halfway between the rear and head of the vehicle. The Tomb Shell had caused the interior of the Storm Raven some serious damage. Seats were crumpled or half-torn from the floor. Massive dents lined the inside of the hull as if an angular wrecking ball had been set to work inside. Architallis realized that he was incredibly lucky that the coffin-shaped machine hadn’t crushed him or anyone else into paste.
Architallis stood and checked the front of the cabin to find Vex and Trouble were already standing and examining the damage themselves. “Geez,” Vex said with a low whistle. “Ex, your shell is a serious hazard. Next time, let’s lock it in the cargo bay.”
Alex pushed the Tomb Shell off him and stood, dusting himself off. “Yeah. Might not be a terrible idea.”
Vex stepped across the cabin to the entry hatch and pressed the button to drop the boarding ramp. Potato scampered up to Vex, clawing at her ankle with light scratches. Vex picked up the mutant and gently slipped it into her hat. Alex shouldered his Tomb Shell and moved to follow as Vex and Trouble stepped outside. Architallis hurried to take up the rear, less than eager to be left alone.
The forest beyond the gate was thick and age-old. Trees clawed toward the stormy sky, waving in the intense wind as if signaling something to come forth. Rain drove down into murky and deep puddles of mud. Lightning flashed to reveal thick and obscuring undergrowth. Lacing the space they crashed in, between the trees and large mud puddles, was grass tall enough to lose a dog in.
Vex waded through the grass toward the rear of the Storm Raven, cursing under her breath with each step. Trouble leaped atop the crashed vehicle and scampered to meet his sister at the rear. Alex and Architallis looked at each other for a moment before they both moved to follow. Alex’s wading through the grass and mud was made all the more difficult by his mass and that of his shell strapped over one shoulder.
“Damn it!” Vex shouted as Architallis and Alex rounded the corner to meet the Witch. Architallis stepped up beside Vex and inspected the mess before them. Sure enough, both rear thrusters were blown, rendered to hot metal scrap. The situation was made worse by the sight of the completely missing rear hatch and an empty cargo bay. All of their stored equipment was gone. Worse yet, Sin was just as missing.
“We got screwed!” Vex snarled at no one in particular. She turned and stomped away several feet, her steps accompanied by the sound of sucking mud.
“Yeah,” Alex agreed. “You screwed us.”
“Me?!” Vex sounded offended at the accusation.
“Well, duh,” Alex said with a shrug to adjust the weight of his Tomb Shell. “You were the one to threaten the Road-Way-Station guy. Then you went and made a mess to add fuel to that fire.”
“I was trying to convince the guy not to come after us,” Vex defended.
“How so?” Architallis asked, folding his arms over his chest. “I saw the remains of Sin covered in putrid slime. I assumed you had your mutant pet savage the poor man.”
“Well…yeah.” Vex trailed off. “I just thought that if he saw the mess of gore and goop, he’d realize we were dangerous and think twice about coming after us.”
“There is only one flaw in your thinking,” Architallis said, punctuating his statement with a raised finger. “Your deterrent was intended for the shack operator. He wasn’t the one to pursue us. All he had to do was call the guards with a mention of theft and possible murder. That was more than sufficient cause for the guard to intercept us for questioning.” Architallis tapped the claw of his raised finger against his lips. “We might have been able to placate them, showing Sin and explaining his condition. We might even have been able to explain the gentleman’s lude behavior and earn a pardon.”
Vex scoffed. “The guy was definitely not a gentleman, and I doubt the guards would’ve listened to what we had to say.” She waved for the others to follow as she began a trudge into the woodland undergrowth. “We should get moving. My digital map says we’re about thirty minutes’ walk from Torrin’s east gate.”
Architallis and Alex shared a look before moving to follow. Architallis even caught Trouble giving his sister a look that spoke of concern and mistrust. Trouble’s emotions were easily readable even simply through the creature’s eyes behind those tinted glasses.
This whole thing only reinforced the point that Vex raised most of the team’s troubles. The woman failed to think the situation through completely and didn’t even account for the consequences of her actions. Vex had taken the first plan that came to mind that met her standards of, quote, ‘teaching him a lesson’. It was clear that Vex had developed a vindictive streak as thick as a dragon’s greed. Her need to perform her own brand of rectifying justice the moment she perceived, at least herself, being wronged. Architallis was going to need to have a talk with her about that compulsion. He winced at the thought of that confrontation.
“Should we not be looking for Sin?” Architallis called ahead to Vex.
Vex shook her head without looking back. “We need to get the lantern back first. We can find the dumb ass after.”
Architallis worried at his lip. That woman was losing her mind. She needed Sin to keep the Gilded Rose lance from tracking her down. Architallis couldn’t help but wonder what was going through her mind to drive her so single-mindedly after the lantern.
The lance moved through a thick growth of evergreen trees, their gnarled roots passing above the ground frequently enough to render the path rough and treacherous. Architallis picked his way through the woods, stepping on large root humps standing above mud, stepping long over a deep puddle, and still he tripped on a rock. He struggled the whole way, hating the mud on his feet, pants, and coat. With a burst of effort, the Alchemyst hurried past Alex to catch up with Trouble. “I must speak with you, my Neoform friend,”
Trouble flicked a sidelong glance at Architallis before resuming its previous pattern of inspecting everything surrounding them. “What is?”
“I suspect your sister is not thinking stably. She should be seeking Sin for the security he provides her against the Rose lance. Could you go and track him down? Can you find us afterward?” The Alchemyst asked.
Trouble gave Architallis a much longer sidelong look before nodding. One moment, Trouble was casually picking his way through the rough terrain like he was play-dancing; the next, he was a blur, flashing off to the left. Architallis watched Trouble vanish into the forest with an impressed expression. The Neoform took to climbing and leaping from tree to tree like an acrobat crossed with a squirrel.
“Hey!” Vex shouted after her brother. “Where are you going?!”
Architallis hurried his pace again to catch up with Vex. “I sent him to collect your partner.”
“Sin is not my partner.” Vex said with particular emphasis on the ‘not.’ “And what the damned hells do you think you’re doing giving my brother orders?”
Architallis straightened his posture and folded his hands behind his back as he hopped from one root or rock to the next. “I gave no orders. I merely pointed out the need for the Immortal and requested he bring the gentleman back.”
“Are you insane?” Vex hissed. “He and I are the only ones operating anywhere near full capacity.” She gestured to Architallis with a wave of one hand. “You’re useless at the moment.” The waved hand turned into a pointed finger aimed at Alex. “And his shell is down one arm.” The pointing finger turned to wag at the Alchemyst in chiding disapproval. “If he were here, we’d be at sixty percent fighting power. But now, we’re down to thirty-five percent.”
“Hey!” Alex demanded. “Why am I ten percent? I’m down an arm, not totally down a shell. I should be worth at least twenty percent.”
“Shut your hole and get in the shell.” Vex snapped back at the Knyght.
“Why?” Alex asked.
“Because it’ll be easier for you to walk. Plus, your loud, crashing self will scare off most predators.” Vex explained with strained patience.
“So you can think logically,” Architallis said with a note of accusation.
Vex stopped dead in her tracks and whirled to face Architallis, her fists balled at her sides. “What did you just say?” Vex’s own words were laced with accusation and infused with threat.
“I am sorry, Miss Vex, but I feel obligated to intercede on your madness.” Architallis’s words were firm and immovable. “First, you rendered me tactically impotent by nullifying all of my potions.” The Alchemyst pulled a dull-colored potion from his coat and poured it out without breaking eye contact with Vex. “You harmed both your brother and our teammate.” The Alchemyst poured out another two potions. “Then, trusted a teammate you had just injured to watch over both a capture victim and the lantern while simultaneously leaving it out in the open.” He poured out two more potions. “Then you force us into combat with the guard force that resulted in our ship crashing and a teammate missing.” He poured out two more potions. “A missing teammate that you need, mind you, to keep us safe from a threat tied to you.” He poured out three more potions. “And now. Now, you blindly lead us toward where we only suspect the lantern to be.”
Vex’s tan-lavender face turned redder and redder as Architallis’s list continued. Finally, when he stopped, Vex screamed in a Berzerker mania, drew her hexgun, and then proceeded to fire all six chambers into a nearby tree. The tree immediately wilted and withered into mulch. Vex stomped around, screaming wordlessly, sometimes trying to fire an empty cylinder into another tree or the sky. But after a few moments, the scene stopped. Vex’s arms fell by her sides as she stared up into the sky. The gun slipped from her fingers to fall into the mud. Then her knees followed. That was when she started crying. After Vex lowered her head, her tears were unmistakable for the rain. Her overly large hat covered her from the downpour, leaving only ugly tears rolling down her face as she broke down.
When the Witch had pulled the firearm, Architallis was certain that his end had come. When she killed the tree, he was confused. When her fit continued, he couldn’t help but wonder if he was dealing with a child. When she broke down crying, he was certain he was dealing with a child.
Architallis walked up to Vex, knelt down beside her, pulled a plastic bottle from his hip, and offered it to her. Vex took it by reflex and swigged before she froze. A horrified expression crossed her face, and Architallis gave a chuckle. “Nothing to worry about. That was my water bottle. Staying hydrated is important, you know.”
“Um, guys,” came Alex’s cautious voice. “The heartfelt feelings right now is great and all, but…”
That was when Architallis heard the rumble. A chorus of growls from beasts. The Alchemyst could feel it in his chest. He slowly raised his head to look around. Drakes. Woodland Hound Drakes. It was a pack of lizards with the features of a cross between a wolf and a dragon. Forest green scales, raptor-like clawed feet, horns, and large teeth. Very large teeth.
Alex was already in his Tomb Shell and near the other two, his back turned to them as he watched the enclosing circle of predators. They held little interest for the metal man. They only wanted the meaty Rat Man and the unstable Witch Woman. He’d caught bits of their conversation between the two before the crash. He definitely got the rest when the Alchemyst started pouring out his stale-looking potions. Those two were down for the count while he was down an arm.
A drake near Vex lunged for her. Alex stormed forward and punted the creature back into the bushes. He spun and grabbed another by the neck, swung it into another two before flinging the gripped drake into a fifth across behind Archi. Alex may have been down an arm, but he was still hell on wheels when it came to battling monsters.
Another lunged for Vex’s back. Alex moved to intercept the attack but was two steps too slow. Architallis wasn’t as slow and was much closer to Vex. The Rat-Wolf Man stepped between the downed Vex and the lunging drake. holding the beast back by the shoulders as it snapped at his face. Architallis dug his claws in even as his face turned away. Blood seeped from the wounds. The beast gnashed its teeth as it lunged for Architallis’s throat. Alex stepped up beside Archi and punched the assaulting creature backward and into a tree trunk.
With his good hand, Alex scooped up Vex and set her on his back before grabbing Archi like a sack of flour. Alex burst into a charge in the direction Vex had been leading. “Hey, Vex lady, you together enough to keep me on course?”
“I-uh-Yeah. I-I think.” Vex said from his back.
“I’m going to be sick!” Archi called from under Alex’s right arm.
“Not on the chassis!” Alex shouted back before dropping his maimed shoulder and charging through a thicket of trees.
“We’re heading southwest!” Vex shouted, pointing a finger just inside Alex’s field of view. “We overshot the mark by about half a mile. At this rate, we should make it in…” Vex paused to do the math. “fifteen minutes. Hey, at least I got us close.”
“You are not getting head-pats for crashing us near our target destination.” Alex scolded.
The trip to the Torrin settlement’s east gate took thirteen and a half minutes. The team stopped and disembarked for the security check. Architallis hurled into the bushes for a while before righting himself. Vex wiped the tearstains from her face as she took deep breaths.
Alex walked up to the pedestrian scanner designed for large folks. Alex’s Identifier profile was linked to a barcode on the underside of his skull. The guards took careful note of the dereliction brand on his profile and displayed by the literal brand on his skull. But with a quick word from his sponsor, Faith, they let him through.
Architallis got much the same treatment, but Faith was ready and waiting for that call. Vex got through only a bit more easily after some scrutiny over her hextech equipment. Once they all got through the checkpoint, Alex picked Vex up again and put her on his back. “You are not allowed to leave from there,” Alex said sternly.
Alex turned to Architallis. “How about you go get us housing? A warehouse this time, if you can. After that, get yourself a new pocket lab.”
“What will you be doing?” Architallis asked.
“I’ll be playing babysitter for our Witch,” Alex said with a finger pointed toward Vex atop him.
“Hey!” Vex protested.
“While I keep an eye on her, I’ll be looking for a mechanic to get my shoulder mended.” Alex tilted his torso up to indicate he was talking to Vex. “Think you can pull up the nearest shop we can rent and a gear-head we can hire?”
Vex grumbled under her breath outside of Alex’s sight, but after a moment, pointed out ahead of them. “Quarter mile west. On the left. Shells and Wheels repair shop.”
Alex thundered down the way until he found the shop. Vex hopped off the Soulforged and hurried inside to purchase space and services. Within the next fifteen minutes, Alex found himself standing in a mechanic’s bay with a dwarf on hydraulic stilts, picking apart his shoulder. Alex stood perfectly still while the bald and goggled man pulled free a plate and poked around inside.
The dwarf gave a questioning grunt, then a confused grunt, then an irritated grunt, and finished with an understanding grunt. He stepped back and lowered his stilts. Vex sat in the corner beside the garage door, her knees up, hat in her hands. The dwarf stiffly walked up to stand in the doorway, facing both of them. “Welp, there’s nothin’ I can do here,” he jabbed a thumb at Alex. “None of it’s any kind of mystech I know. Now, I know necrotech when I see it, and I’m guessin’ the rest is hextech. Never touched that kinda tech before,” he spat to the side. “And I don’t got the seals to be workin’ on gear like that.”
Vex’s head popped up from her moping. “Did you say Hextech?” She stood and slapped her hat atop her head.
“Yeah?” the mechanic said with a bit of worry.
“Can I use your shop? You got blank parts I can use?” Vex asked as she moved to climb up Alex’s hulking arm.
The Mechanic shrugged. “If you’re payin’ for the corner and my time, I’ll let ya work and find parts if I got em.”
“Sweet,” Vex said with a mad grin as she cracked her knuckles.
Vex strolled up to Alex’s dead arm. She hooked a ladder by the stand with one foot and dragged it in. With quick motions, Vex popped open the ladder and climbed it to peer around the internals of the should. She gave a grunt of recognition before propping inside the hole with two fingers. She pulled out a pair of severed wires with two fingers and gave an irritated grunt. Vex put the wires back and kept poking around. She gave a confused grunt as she tilted her head to get a better angle. “Oh,” Vex said as she recognized something, before giving an even more confused grunt.
“Yo, Gearhead, you got any blank Type 32B-K cogs?” Vex asked, leaning away from Alex’s arm while maintaining a grip on it. “The thirty-two-tooth, five in diameter ones. Two of ‘em. I’ll also need a size 2 resonance rotary actuator with…” Vex peered back into the hole in Alex’s arm. “Fifty-pound torque. You got those?”
“Lemme check,” the mechanic said as he hurried from the room.
Vex stepped down from the ladder, shaking her head. “I think we need to have a talk with Faith when we wrap up this mission.”
“Why?” Alex asked.
“Because it looks like whoever put your whole self together slapped together parts from two different hextech golems.” Vex picked up a greasy screwdriver, then immediately set it down and grabbed an adjacent grease rag to wipe off her fingers. “Hextech golems are already pretty uncommon to come across. But two… and massively advanced ones at that.” Vex tossed the rag over her shoulder to settle on the workbench at her back.
“What’s that mean for me?” Alex asked nervously.
“Honestly,” Vex shrugged. “No clue. But what I can say is that your body is a mess. Whoever threw that tin can together knew just enough to cobble together something that works, I guess, but not well.” Vex walked over to Alex and leaned against her front, legs and arms crossed as she thought. “I should be able to throw together something better. But I’d need to learn more than a bit about Soul Circuits. I’ve got zero data on necrotech as I am.”
“But you can fix my arm?” Alex asked hopefully.
Vex gave a snort as she pushed off from the Knyght’s shell. “Definitely. Just need the blank parts, etch 'em, install 'em, and bam! Good as new.”
As if on cue, the mechanic returned with a box of components. “Found everything you, little lady. You need an etcher?”
“Na.” Vex waved off the dwarf’s offer before plucking her hat from her head. “I got my own.” Vex pulled the etcher device from her hat as the mechanic set the box of parts on the workbench.
Vex set to work, swiftly etching the needed glyphs into the components. She installed the two gears and actuator with deft hands, rehooking the wires to the actuator with a browed soldering iron and flux. Vex wrapped up the project, remounted the armor plates, and stepped back with a proud huff, her hands propped on her hips. “A job well done if I do say so myself.
That was when Alex saw the figure standing in front of the open garage door. A short, ceangar-sized figure with just as short hair and a pair of enchanted gauntlets. “Well, dreck.” Alex cursed.
Vex lowered her arms and gave Alex a confused expression. “What? Does it feel wrong? Not moving like it should?”
In answer, Alex stormed forward, past Vex, and sucker punched Fee Fee right in the chest. The Fury had only just found Vex and had been glaring at her back. She was caught partly unaware by Alex’s blow, only realizing in time to bring up her fists in a block. Fee Fee took the strike and was flung back across the street. The Fury managed to get her feet under her and skid to a halt across the street from the mechanic shop.
Alex scooped up Vex with his freshly mended and fled from the shop, thundering down the street away from the Fury. Willow took up the chase from beside the office of the mechanic shop, her blade held low and at the ready, already encased with a razor-sharp ward. Fee Fee broke into her own sprint to pursue her target as Alex set Vex on his back again. “Think you can slow them down with your gun?” Alex asked as he put on an extra burst of sleep.
“Can’t!” Vex shouted back. “I lost my hexgun in the woods during the drake attack.”
“Gah!” Alex shouted in wordless frustration. “You’ve got to be kidding me!”
